A Night of Firsts
by SingerMe
Summary: A little something to honor Lee and Amanda's Anniversary next week. Also, this again is for SnowGirl01


**A Night of Firsts**

I don't own these characters. I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

 **AN: Once again, this is for SNOWGIRL01 per her request. Set more or less in present times.**

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Amanda stood before her mirror and examined herself critically, turning from one side to the other. She was now 66 years old and felt every year of it. Though she hadn't gained any weight over the years, or least none that really showed on her always long and thin frame, she felt old and fat and totally unattractive for the first time.

Sighing, she shook her head as she walked away from the mirror and went to her bed, sitting down heavily. She wasn't really sure what was wrong with her lately. Though she'd never thought of herself as the most beautiful woman in the world, she'd never been dissatisfied with her looks before. At least until now.

But yesterday, when she saw Lee and that blonde, who had to be at least 30 years younger, having lunch and apparently a lot of fun, she'd never felt so unattractive. Of course he hadn't seen her. She made sure of that. But even if he'd known she would be at the same out of the way diner as she'd chosen for lunch, she wasn't sure he would've noticed her so attentive was he to the blonde. The fact that their anniversary was tonight and Lee had canceled their plans didn't help.

She kept telling herself that there was a logical explanation for what she'd seen. She trusted Lee with her life as well as their marriage. Didn't she?

She forced herself to her feet. Sitting around and moping about it wouldn't change anything. She could go into the office, she supposed and get some things done there, but her heart really wasn't in it. Since she'd been kicked upstairs to work in administration, she hadn't really had the drive and enthusiasm for her job that she'd had before. And of course, as head of the Q Bureau, Lee was still able to occasionally work in the field when she couldn't. That was another nail in the proverbial coffin.

"Amanda?"

Amanda smiled when she heard her mother's voice. Now in her 80's, Dotty was still as vivacious as ever. A widow twice, since the captain died, she still hadn't given up on romance or finding that certain someone again.

"Yes, Mother." Called as she hastily checked herself in the mirror and then headed down stairs. "What's up?"

"It's Lee, Darling." She answered as she held the phone out to her.

"Oh, okay. Thanks." Taking the phone, she paused just a moment before answering. "Hello, Lee."

"Hi, honey." Lee's voice didn't sound too cheerful. "Hey, I uh, wanted to tell you again how sorry I am that I had to cancel dinner."

"Ah, that's okay, Lee." She reassured him. "I know, the job is the job."

"Yeah, but sometimes, the job interferes with her personal life a little too much." Lee answered. "Look, I know it's not the most romantic place to spend the night, but I was wondering if you'd like to join me on a stakeout tonight? We finally got some movement on that case I've been working and we think something might pop tonight. Time together might be cut short, depending on what happens, but it would at least be time together. What do you say?"

While a stakeout wasn't normally one of Amanda's favorite things to do, she didn't like the idea of spending her anniversary alone, worrying about Lee, as she had the previous year while he was in Egypt working on a case.

"Where will you be?" She asked quickly.

"You mean you'll do it?" Lee sounded unconvinced.

"Well, sure." She shrugged. "I mean, why not. I wouldn't have anything else to do with you gone."

"Gee, Amanda, that's great. Why don't you meet me at the office in say, an hour. I'll have the car and the coffee warmed up and ready to go when you get here."

"Deal." She smiled into the phone although she knew Lee couldn't see it.

"Oh, and Amanda." Lee said before she hung up. "I hope you're wearing that smile when you get here."

Amanda's smile brightened. "I will." She answered before quickly hanging up and running upstairs to change. "I knew I was fretting for nothing." She told herself as she quickly changed into a pair of slacks, a comfortable shirt and sweater and a jacket. After telling her mother she where she was headed, Amanda hurried out to her car and took off for the office.

When she arrived at the office, she saw Lee's car in the parking lot but no one else's. "Good." She thought. She didn't really want to see anyone but Lee anyway. But when she got inside, she had an almost instantaneous change of heart. She had never really been a coward or afraid of things that went bump in the night, but this place was spooky. She'd been in the upper portions of the building many times when no one was there. But it had never seemed this dark or… well, she guessed the only word that came to mind was 'scary'.

Deciding she was reading way too much into the darkened building, Amanda shook her head and quickly headed to the stairs. She was half way up when Lee cracked open the door to his office and took a peek out, seeing her coming. "Ah, Amanda. Come on in." He beckoned and then instantly deserted the doorway.

"Coming." She called up. "Hope you have that coffee ready. It's cold outside."

Lee didn't answer. In fact, he had already closed the door again, which made her wonder. Hurrying up the last few steps, she grabbed the knob and turned it, pushing the door open to an amazing sight.

The office was completely dark, except for candles that were lining his desk and the glow of the moon through the window behind his desk. Lee was standing just in front of his desk, wearing a tux and a grin.

"Lee?" She frowned at him in confusion. "What is…"

"Happy Anniversary." He smiled as he stepped forward and took her hand.

Amanda was stunned. "I… I thought we were…"

"Stakeout?" He shook his head. "Nope. I just didn't want this anniversary to be like all the others. Especially like last year. I wanted it to be special."

"Lee," Amanda sighed, "any time with you is special. It doesn't matter where we spend that time."

"It does to me." He answered, taking her hand and leading her to the couch against the wall. "Amanda, when we got married, it was the fulfillment of every wish I'd ever had whether I knew it or not. Now, I know this ride hasn't always been easy, what with work and family and everything else, but it's always been worth it and I wanted you to know that."

Amanda wiped a tear from her cheek but was still a little confused. "But why all this…" she gestured to the desk and the office in general, "here? Why didn't you just tell me at dinner tonight? You know the one we had planned?"

"Because, that would have been just like all our other anniversaries." Lee answered. "We would've gone to a restaurant, spent too much money and too little time alone. We would've had to share every bite and every word with all the people around us and then gone home to share the rest of the evening with your mother. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Dotty, but I wanted tonight to be about just us."

"So you bring me here?" She was still confused as to why the office when there were so many other places they could've gone and still be alone.

"Um hum." Lee nodded. "Because one, we're completely alone with no chance of an interruption and two, it's where we began." When Amanda looked at him quizzically, Lee hastened to explain. "This office is where I first realized how much I really love you. It's where we had our first, 'real' kiss. It's where we became engaged. It's where we first…" He paused. Seeing that she remembered that particular first time, he continued. "I want the first night of the rest of our lives to be here as well."

Another tear and then more fell down Amanda's cheeks as she flew into Lee's arms. "Oh, Lee. I love you so much."

"I love you too." He answered before tilting her head up for a kiss and then releasing her for a moment. "Now, before we eat this fabulous meal, catered by the very restaurant we were going to eat at, I have a present for you."

Suddenly Amanda's face fell and she looked down and away.

"Amanda? What's wrong?"

"Oh, Lee." She looked up at him with even more tears. "I forgot to bring your gift. I didn't think… I was in such a hurry to get out of the house and get here and… and I'm dressed like a housewife and you're in a tux and… Suddenly, Lee started laughing, causing her to frown at him. "Lee, I don't think that's funny." She was clearly distressed and Lee quickly pulled her back into his arms.

"Honey, stop and think about it. Remember when we first met and I had you come to that costume party to bring me the package?" He waited a minute to make sure she did indeed remember. "If you remember correctly, you didn't bring it and you were dressed as a housewife and I was in tux."

Amanda's smile broke out again as she thought about the comment that woman made about her coming dressed as a housewife and the way Lee had looked standing on those stairs, dressed in a tux and instantly stealing her heart, although she hadn't known it at the time. "You're right." She nodded. "This really is a night of our firsts, isn't it?"

"Um hum." Lee answered. "Now, will you please open your present?"

Beaming at him, Amanda accepted the box he handed her and quickly undid the ribbon then pulled the paper off. Inside, she found a ornately carved and very early Americana looking recipe box. When she opened it, she found recipe cards for Pilgrim's Peach Puff and Pigeon Forge Flapjacks. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry as she looked up into the twinkling eyes of her husband. "Oh, my GOSH!" She finally exclaimed.

Lee reached over and switched on a small CD player on his desk and as the music played, he pulled Amanda back into his arms to dance. "If you remember." He told her. "The first time we danced was right before you told me that you didn't bring that other recipe box to me."

"I remember." She said as something else came to her memory. "Lee, I love that box. But I…" She hesitated to mention to him what she'd been thinking earlier in the day before he'd called her. But with all Lee had done for her tonight, she was more curious now than ever.

"But you, what?" He looked down at her with concern. "Amanda, I told you I don't care how you're dressed or…"

"No, no." She shook her head. "It's not that, it's… well…" She stopped and regrouped and then started again. "Well, yesterday, I had to run out of the office at lunch time so while I was out, I stopped in a small café to pick up something to eat and I… well, I saw you there with this young blonde woman and I…"

Lee chuckled. "Oh, so you were wondering who she was?" Amanda nodded, but didn't meet his gaze. "A little jealous, were you?" Amanda nodded again but still didn't answer. "Well, that woman, my darling, is Gina Shamblin. She was the one that created that recipe box for you. She and her husband have a small shop at the other end of town and create all kinds of wood crafts. I saw something they had made sitting on my secretary's desk and hired them to make this. But when it was finished, I didn't have time to drive across town to pick it up, so she agreed to meet me at that café and bring it to me."

Amanda's face reddened in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Lee. I… I just… well, when I saw you together… well, you know, it looked... suspicious. I mean you two were laughing and looked like you were enjoying your time together and I just, well, you know. I just thought maybe that…"

"You thought maybe that I had found a younger woman?"

Amanda nodded as she again looked down. "I'm sorry."

"A recipe box was the first thing I ever entrusted to you. My life was the second thing and then my heart. I want it to always be that way, Amanda." He smiled down at her as their lips met. "You will always be my first and my last."

Amanda finally met his gaze and leaned up to kiss him before wrapping her arms solidly around him as they swayed to the music. "I love you, Lee."

END


End file.
